Take-up reeling mechanism for electrically operated lawn mowers



Sept. 4, 1951 J. L. BILDERBECK TAKE-UP REELING MECHANISM FOR ELECTRICALLY OPERATED LAWN MOWERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 19. 1949 I NVENTO R Sept. 4, 1951 J. L.. BILDERBECK TAKE-UP REELING MECHANISM F'OR ELECTRICALLY OPERATED LAWN MOWERS Filed May 19. 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BNVENTOR.

Patentecl Sept. 4, 1951 UNITED STATES .PATENT OFFICE TAKE-UP REELING MECHANISM FOR ELEC- TRICALLY OPERATED LAWN MOWERS James L. Bilderbeck, Jacksonville, Fla.

Application May 19, 1949, Serial No. 94,135

My invention relates to electric machines with more specific reference to improvements in electric lawn mowers.

One object of my invention is to provide novel Vmeans of controlling the electric motor cord carrying the current, by controlling the tension in cord between the motor and the plug-in source of current.

Another purpose of my invention is to provide a main shaft bearing a handle bar at the top thereof with a reel and clutch wheel at the bottom of and rotatable around the same shaft so as to enable the operator of the machine to step over the above-mentioned cord while turning completely around in any direction during operation, the means provided being functional because the means used to guide and control the machine are sufficiently remote in position as to be out of the way of means used to handle the cord.

I furthermore provide a cord guide having a long arm rotatable completely around the aforesaid main shaft so as to extend at all times in the direction of the plug-in source of electricity, the cord carrying the electricity during operation being reeled in or reeled out through a cord guide pulley so arranged as to require the minimum tension in the said cord to produce the aforesaid results.

I furthermore provide a clutch lifter assembly, operative to lift a clutch wheel the latter rotatable around said main shaft by means cooperative through and within said main shaft, said clutch wheel being thereby suspended from the aforesaid handle bar so that the weight of the reel, while being elective in producing clutch action, is also eiective in releasing the clutch wheel from the reel during operation.

Of the drawings,

Fig. 1 represents a general plan view of my invention in relief in a horizontal position.

Fig. 2 represents a partial top View of the machine showing the cord guide 24 and cooperative partsthereto related taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

` Fig. 3 represents an upright longitudinal midsection view of the main shaft I2 on an enlarged scale and its surrounding parts so as to show the controls of the machine more plainly in relief. The view is taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Fig. 4 is a top view of rotary cutter 34 with reference to its normal position represented in Fig. 1 as operative in a horizontal plane.

Fig. 5 represents an upright longitudinal mid- Asection view of the main shaft, as in Fig. 3, but

the former drawing shows details of clutch lifter 46 shown alsoV in mid-section.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, numeral I designates the frame, riding in a horizontal position on wheels as 3 and 4. Ring portion Id is a metal bar bent in the shape of a ring, the ends of which meeting at Ic are screwed each to each on piece la. The frame extension Ib, carrying a hollow main shaft I2, the latter being threaded to the former and vertically arranged thereon is welded to a wide collar 2b, the latter collar being clamped with screws 2a and 2c so as to encase and adjustably hold motor 2 in a vertical position. Struts as Ie extending upward and radially inward from ring portion Id to collar 2b are used to connect the former to latter so that piece la and the screws 2a and 2c, being located between the same two struts, permit the frame to spring apart when the screws are loosened during adjustment of the motor.

Figure 1 shows the rotary cutter 34, having hub 35 by which it is fastened to the motor and cutter blades 36 and 31.

Referring to Fig. l, 9 and I0 are rings respectively connected in series with switch and with the motor through electrical cord 4| and through the brushes |3 and I4 to the plug in source through the reel cord I9.

Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 show a cord guide and cord retainer assembly comprising parts represented by numerals 20, 2|, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 21, 30, 3|, 5I, and 52, seated on ring I6, the latter being held stationary on the main shaft by set screws shown as I6a and |612. The long arm 20 of the assembly carries a screw 22, the latter serving as an axis on which shorter arm 23 is rotatable in a plane perpendicular to arm 20, pulley 23 carrying the cord I9. Roller 30 and 3| are rotatable on rods 52 and 5| respectively, the rods in turn secured to arms 20 and 25 respectively. The entire assembly is rotatable on the aforesaid ring and main shaft so that the main arm 20 is always extended in the direction of electrical plug-v in of cord I9 during operation. In other words, when the lawn mower supporting the main shaft is turned horizontally in any direction, the as sembly is held in alignment with the electrical cord extending toward the electrical plug-in source by a force which is a component of the tension in the cord as governed momentarily by angle of turning of the mower.

It is evident from Fig. 1 that when motor 2 is turning in a counterclockwise direction with reierence to the eye of an operator above the machine, tension will be produced in cord I9 tending to wind it on the reel.

When the lawn mower is turned abruptly, the direction of the' above-mentioned tension will change so as to affect rst of all a swing of arm 2l followed by a swing in the entire assembly of which it is a component part, th-e short arm having its inertia overcome rst. The swinging of arm 2I prevents binding of cord I9 against pulley 23 or the sides of the short arm and by changing the direction of axis of the pulley lessens the pull necessary to maintain the above-mentioned alignment.

It will be noted in Fig. 3 that 3l! and 3I freely rotatable vact as retainer rollers for the cord on the reel.

It will be noted that motor 2 is encased ina wide metal band 2b, held together by bolts 2a and 2c, Ib being a frame extension welded to band 2b and frame I and struts as lb extending radially outward also welded to the band and to the frame. Frame I is out across at I'c and piece la is screwed to the cut end. The aforesaid construction permits easy adjustment of the motor with respect to the frame, the band and frame being easily sprung apart when unscrewed. Slightly above frame extension Ib and surrounding main shaft I2 is suspension ring 33, annular in shape with suspension screw 38h extending diametrically and centrally across it as shown in Figure 3. The screw extends through slots as 38a, Ithe latter being diametrically opposed in the main shaft wall so as to permit the suspension ring to be adjustable to move up and down therein without resting thereon. A long rod 39--46 vis welded to a spacer' I tube 40a, the latter carrying screw 3817.

At the top of 'the main shaft, and threaded to it at I2a, is an enlarged portion o-f handle bar 5G so located as to support the other controls mechanical and electrical apart from and out of the Way of other moving parts. Thus, in Fig. 3, 55 is the switch, connecting cord 4I--42 to electric rmotor 2 and connecting rings 9 and I0 through brushes I3 and I4, and through cord I9 to the plug-in source of electricity. All of the electrical connections as mentioned are arranged in electrical series.

At the top of rod 3.9-49 is a disk 44 and lock nut 43 together adjustable on threads of rod 39-40 so as to determine the distance between the disk 'and the slot 38a and so as to be locked in the position so determined.

45 is a round cam element held stationary on handle bar 5I! by screws as 45a, the upper surface of the aforesaid cam element being made of two inclined planes as t6b intersecting on and symmetrical with respect to a diameter of the same. Numeral 46 designates Va lifting cam seated on the stationary cam element, the former having lower sur-'faces similar to and coincident with the upper surface of the latter. round stem portion of the lifting cam having an outer cylindrical surface 45d rotatable on a similar inner cylindrical surface of the stationary cam element, the surfaces being concentric with rod 39, 4D. Mid is a hole in the lifter cani, the hole being larger than the rod which it surrounds. See Fig. 5.

cec is a knob attached to the lifter cam, the former being connected to hand lever 4% at handle di? by wire ii'. New when the knob :l-a. is pulled in the direction of the arrow (see Fig. 3) the lifter cam riding on incline lieb and cylindrical surface 46d is lifted upward carrying `t-he rod Sii-4d, screw 38h :and suspension ring 38. 6 is a clutch wheel 46c and 46e designate a concentrically mounted and rotatable around the main shaft I2 and seated on suspension ring 38. Eb is the belt connecting the clutch Wheel to the motor and 6a a surface of the clutch wheel connecting the latter with rubber clutch ring 5d component with and concentrically surrounding reel 5. The reel is composed of an upper rim 5a, a drum 5b and a base 5c and is arranged rotatable in the same manner as the clutch wheel. It will now be noted that, when kno-b 46a is moved in the direction of the arrow that the weight of the reel now seated on the clutch Wheel, will affect rotation of the form-er during operation of the motor so that cord I9 will be automatically wound on or wound off the reel regardless of the direction in which the lawn mower is pushed during operation.

Moreover, it is evident that during the automatic action as mentioned, both the reel and clutch are suspended from the lifting cam. But, in order to `avoid excessive Wear on the clutch rubber, the lifting cam may be released, whereupon the reel will descend and be seated on seating ring Il; the clutch wheel descending still farther .is thereby released from the reel. Ring -I1 is rigidly held by set screws I'Ia and Ib. It is furthermore evident the weight of the reel is used as the clutching force as well as the force tending to release the clutch wheel. The reelis seated on seating ring I7 when the knob is released from its pull in the direction of the arrow.

immediately above reel 5 is the cord guide assembly 21% seated onannulus It in a xed position above said Vreel so as to be rotatable on main shaft I2 with reference to said reel. The long arm 20 ci' the cord guide and the arm 25 are each screwed to rings E6 and 2l, each of the latter having bearing `surfaces so as to be rotatable on main shaft I2. Swinging arm @I lis attached to the long arm 2B by screw 22 so as to permit free swinging `of arm 2i, pulley 23 attached to the lower end of arm 2I carrying cord 'I9 to and from the reel. 5I

and =52 are roller cord retainers held to arms 25 and 2d respectively by rods 5l and 52. Long arm 2G having increased leverage is easily aligned lin the ydirection yof :electrical plug-in during abrupt. turns of the machine in operation, it being evident that the pulley :swinging in the vdirec-tion of the turn, prevents the tendency of the cord to vbind against the 'side of the pulley.

It will be evident from Figure l and the description that rotary cutter 34 vand clutch wheel 6 turn when motor r2 turns.

.Figure 3 shows how said clutch wheel .is adjust-ably suspended by suspension ring 33 vfrom cam element d6.

When knob tta is pulled in .the direction of the arrow as shown in Figure 3., said clutch wheel is drawn upward against the bottom of reel 5.` The latter is thus given sufficient torque to produce the desired tension in cord I El carried by said reel.

When knob ita is secured at a desired tension cord I': is taken in or reeled out automatically.

Since cord-guide arm 2c always extends Lin 'the direction of plug-in source of electricity the lawn mower in operation really turns on said 'cord guide.

Having described mymachine, what I Aclaim as new is:

l. In Va machine of the kind described the combina'tion comprising aframe, Aa motor clamped 4on said frame, a main shaft supported in a vertical position on .said frame, a handle bar attached to the top of .said .main shaft, a power cord connected to said motor, -a reel carrying said power cord, said reel being rotatably mounted on and around said main shaft under said handle bar, a clutch connected to said reel and means by which said clutch is driven and regulated so as to produce desirable tension in said power cord as it is reeled in or reeled out during operation; said frame comprising an outer ring portion being connected to an inner band by Welded struts; said ring portion and said inner band each being a clamping device for vertical adjustment of said motor.

2. In a machine of the kind described the combination comprising a frame, a motor clamped on said frame, a cutter blade attached to said motor, a main shaft supported in a vertical position on said frame, a handle bar attached to-the top of said main shaft, a power cord connected to said motor through said main shaft, a reel carrying said power cord, said reel being rotatably mounted axially on said shaft under said handle bar, a clutch connected to said reel and means by which said clutch is driven and regulated so as to produce desirable tension in said power cord as it is reeled in or reeled out during operation; a cord guide comprising a long arm completely rotatable around said reel in a horizontal plane on said main shaft so as to guide said power cord into said reel, a guide being provided in said cord guide to carry said power cord into and out of said reel.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 2 including said cord guide, said reel, and said clutch all cooperatively mounted on said main shaft, the latter being a common axis providing complete rotatability for each of the former during cooperation.

l1. The combination as claimed in claim 2 including said main shaft, the latter having diametrically opposed slots vertically elongated through the wall thereof and means Within said main shaft by which said clutch is controlled by way of said slots.

5. The combination as claimed in claim 2 specifically including said reel mounted on said main shaft as an axis said main shaft supported handle being above said reel so as to permit said power cord to enter said reel unobstructedly from any direction in a horizontal plane.

J L. BILDERBECK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,490,127 Peters Apr. 15, 1924 1,567,055 Hui Dec. 29, 1925 1,569,987 Lamberti Jan. 19, 1926 1,831,681 Miller Nov. 10, 1931 2,295,072 Blessing Sept. 8, 1942 2,474,566 Applegate June 28, 1949 

